Vary pitch to show meaning when reading aloud
When to use this goal
For students whose speech stays on one pitch (sounding flat) or who use pitch outside the comfortable range the SLP has set, and who can already produce high, low, rising, and falling pitch on cue. The target is pitch movement that carries meaning, such as stressing a key word or showing a question, within that range. Present levels and the voice evaluation, not grade, decide fit.
- Baseline
- Record the student reading a short passage and score it on the rubric. Note whether the need is range (pitch too high or low for the voice plan), movement (flat pitch), or both. Check structured pitch control first; if the student cannot change pitch on cue, start with that goal.
- Tips
- Score from a recording so the rater can replay. Agree on the target pitch range with the SLP's voice plan and keep strain checks in every session. Use texts the student likes, such as dialogue or scripts, since meaning gives a reason to change pitch. Pitch patterns differ across languages and dialects; score against the patterns of the student's own community.
- Limits
- Pitch judgments by ear are subjective; acoustic tools give firmer data if the SLP uses them. Reading aloud is a structured task, so conversation may need a separate goal. Flat pitch can relate to a hearing, neurological, or emotional factor, which the team should consider.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID sl-voi-028.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, while reading aloud a short passage of dialogue at their independent reading level, the student will read with pitch that rises and falls to stress key words and mark questions, staying within the target pitch range independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point pitch use rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Baseline: 3 out of 9 rubric points.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Rubric score fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Rubric scoring gives rubric score data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Voice.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Speech & Language - Voice
- Baseline
- 3 out of 9 rubric points.
- Annual goal438 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, while reading aloud a short passage of dialogue at their independent reading level, the student will read with pitch that rises and falls to stress key words and mark questions, staying within the target pitch range independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point pitch use rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- While reading aloud a short passage of dialogue at their independent reading level
- Behavior
- The student will read with pitch that rises and falls to stress key words and mark questions, staying within the target pitch range independently
- Criteria
- Earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point pitch use rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly samples
- Evaluation method
- A defined scoring rubric
- Schedule
- Every two weeks
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Rubric tracker. Scores each rubric criterion and totals them.
Rubric tracker
Rubric score- Student label:
- Target:
- earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point pitch use rubric
- Mastery rule:
- on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly samples
- Collection schedule:
- every two weeks
- Method:
- Rubric scoring
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, while reading aloud a short passage of dialogue at their independent reading level, the student will read with pitch that rises and falls to stress key words and mark questions, staying within the target pitch range independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point pitch use rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
| Date | Task / sample | Pitch rises or stresses the key word in each sentence (0 to 3) | Questions and statements marked by rising and falling pitch (0 to 3) | Pitch stays within the target range without strain (0 to 3) | Total (of 9) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Score each sample with a 9-point pitch use rubric. Attach or reference the rubric's score descriptors.
- Use the same prompt type and conditions for each scored sample.
- If two people score, check agreement on a few samples before relying on the data.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.